Hatch cover and means for supporting and locking the same



Nova 13 3923.

E. A. SWEELEY HATCH COVER AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND LOOKING THE SAMEY Mf NOV' 13 m23 E. A. SWEELEY HATCH OOvEH ANO MEANS FOR SUPPORTING ANDLOOKING THH SANO@J Filed Oct. 5, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 31a/uente@ OH.@SHN MN Q MMT NOV. 13, i923. '119473,@55

. E. A. SWEELEY HATCH COVER AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND LOCKING THESAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /y/fz Patented Nom 113, i923,

,y entre stars 1 WAYPPLIANCE CO., OIF

entrent oneven.

'TO THE WKNE RML- A CORPORATION OIF GENIO.

HATCH COVER ND MEANS EUR SUPPORTING AND LOCKING 3HE application meteerder a, 1922. serial no.

To all wftolm t may con cem.'

Be it known that. EDWARD A. SWEELEY, a citizen of the United States oi"America, residing at Alexandria, in the county of Arlington and State ofVirginia, has invented certain new and useful lmproveinents in Hatch(lovers and Means tor Supporting and Locking the Same, ing is aspecification.

My invention relates to nevi7 and useful improvements in hatch coversand means for supporting and locking the same, and is es peciallyadapted for use on freight cars of the refrigerator type.

As is Well known to those skilled in the art. refrigerator cars areprovided at each end with hatchesthrough which the ice is passed intothe car, and over which hatches are the covers together With means forlockingand supporting the same in a partly open position, to provideyproper ventilation i'or the car while in transit. y

ln most instances, these hatches have a small rim or upstanding wallover which the hatch covers are designed to fit and, due.

to the manner in `which the ice is often handled, their walls becomebattered or partly destroyed so that the hatch cover does not tittightly over the same when closed.

Furthermore, many different arrangements are provided for supporting thehatch covers in a partly open position but due to the motion and rockingand jolting of the cars, they become loose or inoperative, or in otherwords, do not function as designed.

Again, in a number oi'l devices now in. use, pins or short rods are usedwith a supporting rod which in time wear loose, making it thenimpossible to support the cover at. the desired position.

@ne of the objects, therefore, ot the present invention is to rovide atrame formed ot metal which willptightl tit over the upstanding wallaround the hatch so that the same will not become battered or partly de.

stroyed by the continued insertion otJ ice, and will, at all times, forma relatively tight tit for the hatch cover.v

Still another object of the device is to provide a hatch cover in whichis a wall to lit over the alcove frame and on which cover is to belocated a part of the supporting and owhich the follow.

locking device for the said hatch cover; further to provide anotherportion of the supporting and locking device which is to e attachedtothe forward end of the hatch frame; these two latter partsco-operating to form thehatch supportim, and locking device which willallow the liatch to either be locked or unlocked, or supported in anyone of a number of positions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hatch cover and asupporting device therefor wherein a link is secured to the hatch framethrough which, inturn, will pass the main supporting arm and which maybe moved to support the hatch cover in any one of a number of positionsalter the link on the hatch traine has lirst been thrown.

Y Still another object of the invention is to provide a hatch cover anda locking and supporting device therefor comprising a link pivotallymounted on the hatch cover and a supporting arm pivotally secured on thehatch frame, which supporting1 arm may he withdrawn from the link whenthe door is fully opened so that the arm may be swung to the right orlett and lie iat on the car root'. Y

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hatch cover and alocking and supporting device therefor, together with a hatch trarne;the supporting device bein quickly and easily operated to hold the hatchcover in its desired position, which is attained by simply throwing; thelink, raising the door to itsV desired height, and lettin1 it settleslightly within the link.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnew and novel features or construction and combination ot parts as willbe hereinafter more fully described and set out in the claims.

vReferring; now to the drawings showing' a )referred embodiment of myinvention,

Jig. l is a view oi my improved hatch cover and supporting end lockingdevice therefor, the` cover losing shown in section andthe supportingand locking device be ing shown in elevation; the cover losing in itsclosed and locked position,

Fig. 2 is a similar view, hut showing the until the supporting arm locksl een titl

hatch cover in a partly raised and supported osit-ion; the locking andsupporting link be- 1n shown in section,

ig. 3 is a top plan view of the locking and supporting link,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevatlon of the locking link and thesupporting arm,

Fig. 5 is a top plan view hinges of the hatch cover,

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of frame in its assembled position,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail of one of the corners of the frame,

Fig. 8 is a sideielevation of the corner of the frame, the latter beingtilted for the sake of clearness of illustration,

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section taken on line9--9 of Fig. 7 looking inthe direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail of the corner similar to Fig. 7 but beforethe two parts are in their final set position.

,ferring now to Fig. 1, and to the invention in general, there is shownby dot and dash, a front portion of a refrigerator car 1, provided withthe usual hatch 2, having the wall 3 extending above the car roof 4.Tightly fitting over main frame 5 which will be referred to more indetail as the specification proceeds. The hatch cover 6 is shown made upof the two layers of wood, which extend in the oppo# site direction, andextending completely around the four sides thereof and slightly belowthe bottom surface of the same are the angle irons 7 which form anenclosing rim, which rim is bolted in placeby passing the bolts 8through one leg of the angles.

ln the two views, FigsV 1 and 2, the distance between the outer edge ofthe frame 5 and the inner surface of the rim 7 is slightly exaggeratedfor the sake of clearness and it is to be understood that the hatchcover will fit snugly over the frame 5, enough space, of course, beingallowed between the last two mentioned surfaces, so that the cover willnot bindV when opened or closed.

A handle 9 is secured to the hatch coverV and may be of any standardform or size.

Secured te the rear of' the hatch cover and near' each side thereof arethe hinge leaves 10 which may be bolted to the cover, and are pivotallysecured in the brackets 11 formed on the rear strip 12 of the frame 5shortly to be described.

To the forward end of the hatch cover, and centrally thereof, is securedthe bracket 13, on which is pivotally mounted the locking and supportinglink 14 which is provi ed with the outstanding lugs 15`which serve ashandles. rlhe rear wall 16 of this link is curved as may be clearly seenin Figs. 2 and 3 and is further provided near the hatch of one ofthetightly locking the this wall 3 is the invests its upper end with thecross-web 17 which extends slightly below lthe bottom of the sides ofthe link as may also be seen in the two figures referred to.

Cooperating with this link and `adapted to pass therethrough, is themain supporting arm 18 which is loosely mounted at its lower end on theyoke 19 which yoke, in turn, is secured to a base 2O formed on theforward strip 21 of the main frame 3.

This main supporting arm is curved downwardly and inwardly at its lowerend as at 22 and is provided on-its under surface with a plurality ofnotches 23.

When' the hatch cover is in its closed position as shown in Fig. l1, thearm 18 will extend through the main supporting link 14 and the rear wall16 of the link will impinge against the portion 22 of the arm 18 andwill prevent the hatch cover from being raised, as the arm 18 cannot beraised due to the arrangement of the pivotal axis until the link hasbeen thrown to. an upright position as shown in Fig. 2; thus hatch coverin its-lowermost position until such time as the link is thrown. l

After this link has once been raised to its upright position by graspingthe had dle 9, the hatch cover may be lifted so that the web 17 willfall in any one of the notches 23 rind the upper end or `rear vwall 16,of`

the link 14 bind on the upper surface of the arm 18, and thus supportingthe hatch cover in any one of the 'four desiredpositions.

To close the hatch cover, of course, it is simply necessary to slightlyelevate the arm 18 and allow the arm to slide through the link ratherthan let the cross-web 17 slip within one of the notches.

Should it be desired to throw'the hatch cover all the. way open, the arm18 will be slipped without the link 13 so that the arni 18 may be thenmoved about its pivotal point on the yoke 19 and be allowed to lie fiaton the roof of the car and out of the Way.

Referring now more in detail to the main frame 5, it will be seen thatit consists of the rear strip 12 and the front strip 21 tcgether withthe two side pieces 24 all of which pieces are designed to be 'rivetedtogether at the four corners. Fach of said pieces is also provided withan upstanding flange wall25, the top wall 26, and the relatively smallldownwardly extending wall 27. rlhese flanges are designed to register totit tightly over the wall of the hatch 3, the corners of the front andrear pieces being slightly offset-as at 2T so that the end pieces lill)may tit thereunder to form an unbroken l hatch, and

imacat to fit within the groove 29 so that when the frame is assembledit will provide in eect a unitary structure. n

he Yoperation of the device should be clearly understood from the abovedescription but to reiterate hatch cover it is simply necessary to firstthrowA the swinging link 14 forwardly after which the hatch cover may beelevated quickly and readily to any desired -position by simplygraspingthe handle 9, raising the letting it settle until the cross- .web 17slips into any one of the desired notches.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided, first; a.frarhe which'tightly lits and protects-thewooden wall of the hatch.Secondly; that I have provided a hatch cover having a downwardlyextending rim which nicely tits the metal frame, just described.Thirdly; I have provided a Simple and eiiicient means for locking thehatch cover in its closed position, and fourth; the locking means actsasa supporting means for the hatch cover when it is desired to supportthe Vsame in one of a number of positions. p

Furthermore, no pins or rods are used which are not secured either tothe frame or to the cover so that it is impossible for any of the partsto device tromA properly functioning.

It will also be seen that the locking and supporting device isexceedingly simple in construction and may be quickly and easilyoperated and consists of but two parts.

Many slight changes might be made without vin any way departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

aving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a hatch frame, a hatch cover pivotally mounted onsaid frame, means pivotally secured to the hatch cover, supporting meanspivotally secured to the hatch frame and the two said means frictionallycooperating to lock the hatch cover on said trame and to permit saidhatch cover to'be supported in one of a number of positions when both ofsaid means are operated.

2. In combination with a hatch frame, a hatch cover piif'otall mountedon said frame, a supporting link pivoted to one of mid memhsrs and asupporting arm'pivotally secured to the other of said members, and said`link frictionally engaging said arm when in one position tightlylocking the hatch cover on said hatch frame, and allowing tin i positionYwhen said link and said vtion with a hatch frame, a cover pitffctailymount/eu on said slightly, to operate t-heV be lost to thus prevent thei hatch coter to be supported in a frame, a supporting link pivotallymounted on said hatch cover and a supporting arm pivotally mounted tosaid lhatch frame and extending through said link, said link wedgingsaid arm against movement when said link is in its lowermost position tothereby lock the said hatch cover on said hatch frame and said link alsooperating with said arm when thrown ,to supportsaid hatch cover in apartly open position.

4. In combination with a hatch frame, a, hatch cover mounted on saidframe, a supporting link pivotally mounted on said hatch cover, and asupporting arm pivotally mounted to said hatch frame and passing throughsaid link, said link impinging against the lower end of said arm whensaid link is in its lowermost position thereby vlocking the arm andhatch cover against movement, said arm provided with a series of notchesand means extendingv across the link for fitting within said notcheswhen said link is thrown upwardly to support the hatch cover in a partlyopen osition.

5. In combination with a latch frame, a hatch cover hinged to saidframe, a bracket secured to said hatch cover, and a supporting linkivotally mounted at its one end on said bracket and extending beyond thehatch cover, a yoke secured to said frame and a pivotally mountedsupporting arm on said yoke and passingl within said link, and curvatureof the rear wall of the link and, the lower end of said arm being suchthat said arm is locked against movement when the link is in its lowerposition, said link having a cross-web therein and said arm providedwith a series of notches to engagev said cross-web when .said link isthrown upwardly to support the hatch in one of a number of positions.

6. In combination with a hatch frame, a hatch cover, the said hatchcover pivotally secured to said frame, a swinging link pivotally securedto the said hatch cover, an arm pivotally secured to the front of thehatch frame and passing throughsaid link and said arm being bent at itslowermost end, the axis of the link and the arm being such that said armcannot be 'operated when said link isl in its lowermost position; thesaid arm being provided with a series of notches, and the said linkbeing provided with a cross-web, said arm being capable of being raisedwhen the link is thrown upwardly and said cross-revela to be engaged bysaid arm, depending hatch cover one of said notches on upon theelevation at which the is to be supported.

T. In combination wi" hatch cover, .t l means secu cover, coi to the hai' the link for supporting the hatch ,cover in a partly raised posrtion,andthe link and the arm so arrange-d that the armn'iay be withdrawn fromsaid link and allowed to lie fiat within the niain frame.

8. In combination with a pivotal hatch.

cover, a pivotal link secured to said cover, an arm adapted to bepivotally mounted 1n front oi' the hatch cover and said arm passingthrough said link the said arm being curved at its lower end and theaxis of the lilik and the arm being such that the rear wall of the linkwill impinge against the lower portion ot' said arin to lock the armagainst movement when said link is in its lower position, and the saidarm being movable when said link is thrown upwardly, `said arm providedwith a series of notches and a member in said link for engaging.

any one of said notches when said hatch cover is raised lto therebysupport the hatch cover in a partly open position.-

9. In combination with a hatch frame, a hatch cover pivotally mounted onsaid frame, a supporting arm pivotally secured beyond the hatch cover, apivotal supporting link attached to the hatch cover, the thickness ofthe arm being greater than its width and the link formed so that itsside walls will abut on the opposite sides of said arm when said arm iswithin the said link, said link jamming said arm downwardly when thehatch is closed to thereby lock the hatch in its closedposition, and theupper and lower portions of said link cooperating with said arm tosupport the hatch in one of a number of partly upright positions.

10. In combination with a hatch frame, a hatch cover pivotally mountedto the same, a supporting arm pivotally secured to the frame andextending up and over the hatch cover, a pivotal supportingilink securedto the hatch cover and the said arm passing through said link, the underside of said arm provided with a series of notches and the link providedwith means at its lower end for engaging said notches and the uppercross wall vof said link imp-inging againstl the upper surface ot saidarm when said link is in an upright position, said arm -and linkarranged to allow the hatch to be lifted and to be dropped back slightlyand the link thereby engaging the arm on its upper and lower surfaces,thus supporting the hatch in a partly open position.

v11. In con'ibination with a hatch frame, a hatch cover pivotallysecured to the frame, a supporting arm pivotally secured to the `frame,a link pivotally secured to the cover and said arm passing within saidlink, the said link when in its lowermost position holding the arm inits lowerrnost position to thereby lock the hatch, the pivotal point ofthe link and arm so positioned that the said hatch may be freely raisedwhen the link is swung to a nearly upright position and the inner upperand lower surfaces of said link engaging respectively the upper andlower suraces of said arm when said hatch is slightly dropped to therebysupport the hatch in a partly open position.

'1n testimony whereof I afx my signature.

EDWARD A. SWEELEY.

